


Online Fandom Primer for Sherlockians

by avawtsn



Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fandom Primer, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 19:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avawtsn/pseuds/avawtsn
Summary: An attempt at a fandom primer, written with fans new to online Sherlock fandom in mind, whether that means you're an older generation Sherlockian from the BSI scion world, or you're 20 and new to slash fic and Tumblr, or you're somewhere in between but feeling trepidatious navigating Twitter.This is a first public version and no doubt pretty holey still. Please be patient.Available on Google Doc as well. TinyURL for this doc is available athttp://tiny.cc/fandomprimer.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My thanks for feedback and beta help to Jinglebell, Science, Anna J Bell, and years' worth of cheerleading and kind indulgence from my Twitter friends.

> _“...that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained.”_

-STUD  
-also describes the Internet

This guide’s audience: people with curiosity, an open mind, and maybe an internet connection, who want to use these things to get to know other Sherlockians.

Written by Caroline, also known as Ava Watson, avawatson, and avawtsn in online fanspace. Primary qualifications for this primer are: social media junkie, Hufflepuff, and member of [Three Patch Podcast](http://three-patch.com). Questions or comments: [this dictionary word](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abject) \+ @gmail.com or leave a comment on the [ao3 work](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835) (scroll down to the bottom). Alternately, although I really don't recommend it (because of the reliability of the askbox), send me [an ask on Tumblr](https://avawatson.tumblr.com/ask).

This document is available on Google Docs [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qxSDVEoqtjjFw10kq23UwpoHRp56EpbTS6docpQdyZQ/edit?usp=sharing) and on archiveofourown.org [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835). First posted: May 17, 2017. Last updated: May 19, 2017.

* * *

**Table of Contents**

[Chapter 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309816)

  * Online Fandom
    * Navigating social media platforms
      * Twitter
      * Tumblr
      * Livejournal/Dreamwidth
      * Reddit
      * Facebook
    * For the less social, more passive, or just less shy



[Chapter 2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309966)

  * How do I find people to follow/friend/add? Who can I interact with?
  * Avoiding conflict: Dos and Don'ts
    * A note about fanspeak



[Chapter 3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309972)

  * Etiquette of sharing and resharing content, especially art
  * Reposting: do not do it
  * What's good to share then?


  * Okay! That all sounds great. But now I want to jump in with both feet. How do I...
    * (How do I) Find fanfic to read
    * (How do I) Find fanart
    * (How do I) Write fanfic
      * Posting
      * Prompts, the kink meme, and challenges
    * A word on giving feedback
    * Pseuds: Do I need one?



[Chapter 4](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309972)

  * Further reading
  * Other resources and tips



* * *

# Online fandom

A brief definition of social media: _websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking._

When it comes to fandom generally and perhaps Sherlockians specifically, the “content” being shared has not significantly changed since the days of in-person scion meetings and hand-collated paper zines. What _has_ changed is the pace, scope, and longevity of the conversations taking place. As with all things, contextualizing is important.

Just because it’s written in a font and presumably saved for posterity doesn’t mean it’s, let’s say, serious. Conversations on social media are just that: conversations. And they vary a _lot_ , much as they would across an intimate dinner, public news conference, and drunken pub crawl. Passing observations and even questions may be directed into a completely public space or at a specific person or audience, and it’s worth figuring out what kind of conversation you’re dropping into before you’ve done so -- or even afterward.

Navigating social media isn’t at all unlike mingling at a 24/7 party while largely invisible: you can wade in and out of small talk, thoughtful discussion, outright arguments, and jokes. A lot of it _is_ open to overhearing or listening, but if you join or start up a conversation, you might start to form relationships. That last bit, I would argue, is the best part. But it takes time to form that sense of friendliness and community, much as it would if you were to show up to a scion potluck.

Of course, this can be at times overwhelming, difficult to navigate, and volatile. It gets that way for most everyone, but especially so when you're brand new. While this guide is oriented toward Sherlockians who are perhaps more familiar with in-person, offline meetings, my hope is that the bulk of it will be portable across more fandoms and will be useful to people who are brand new to fandoms of all types, whether you’re 15 or 50. This guide is simply here to alleviate some of your worries, answer some of your questions, and hopefully minimize any mistakes and misconceptions so that everyone’s community experience is improved.

* * *

## Navigating social media platforms

People very often have accounts on multiple social media platforms. Now then, cross-posting of content definitely happens -- redundant postings across, for instance, Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook -- but you shouldn't underestimate how differently these communities operate. They each have their own pros and cons, speeds at which they move, apps (applications) and friend communities within communities (formal and informal), formats, rules of engagement, expectation of reciprocity, public and private methods of contact, and cultures. Yes, culture. If it sounds a little overwhelming, just remember most people stumble into this stuff with no primer at all. This guide is meant to speed up your learning curve, but it may still be ultimately steep. And that's normal. Just remember that. 

Below are just some of the major social media platforms and their basic rundowns. Keep in mind there are exceptions and corner cases with a lot of these, so this goes to some pretty basic questions: which one is for you? Which ones should you sign up for? Which will you actually use? It may take you some time to figure that out, so don’t worry about that too much at the outset. And it will ultimately also depend on a great deal more as well: the kind of content you like (or will grow to like), the people you already know and what they’re using, and how much time you’re looking to spend (or waste).

###  [Twitter ](http://twitter.com)

  * Classic microblogging platform. 140 character limit on posts.
  * Offers wholly public timeline or wholly private timeline (limited to approved users), threaded conversation, notification system, and private messaging with other users (subject to limitations).
  * **Good at** : up to the minute news, humor and time wasting, linking people to websites, sharing pictures and short videos, live follow-alongs of events like TV shows, conventions, and talks.
  * **Bad at** : lengthy responses, very subject-focused timelines*, public conversations with multiple people**, editing tweets in any way.
    * *lists can help with this, and certain apps may be better for this than others.
    * **this has changed as recently as March 2017, but some limitations still exist, at least at the outset. More on that later.
  * **Available on** : pretty much all platforms. Web (browser), with official and third party apps for mobile and desktop.
  * **Some relevant terms and grammar** : one follows or unfollows other accounts/people. Accounts you follow make up your timeline (TL). You can retweet (RT) someone's public tweet or tweets, which puts those tweets on your followers' timelines, even if they don’t follow the original account. You can also RT with comment, now also known as quote retweet/quote RT, which reproduces the original tweet in its entirety, with your comment above it. People will often quote RT things to call attention to threads and tweetstorms, and generally to comment on things in a public manner, instead of directly as a reply to the original tweet. When tweeting, you can hashtag things to make public tweets more easily searchable (or blockable/filterable). If someone approves of your tweet, they might like it; that's the heart icon. Until recently, it used to be a star, and was called a favorite (fav).
  * Private messaging between two or more users is possible in Direct Messages or DMs, which can set to open to everyone or only those who you follow.
  * **To get you started** : [sherlock221b](http://twitter.com/sherlock221b), [sherlockology](http://twitter.com/sherlockology), [watsons_tin_box](http://twitter.com/watsons_tin_box), [art_intheblood](http://twitter.com/art_intheblood), [elementarystaff](http://twitter.com/elementarystaff), [jhwatsonsoc](http://twitter.com/jhwatsonsoc).



###  [Tumblr ](http://tumblr.com)

  * Versatile platform with multiple post formats (text, photo, video, audio, etc) that is ultimately designed for sharing/display. (In)famous for having a userbase that skews younger (teenaged), but almost unbeatable for photos and gifs (animated/moving pics).
  * Very finicky on many levels, depending on your use case and level of creating original content or adding to original content. Yahoo bought the site in 2013 and keeps making changes to it, trying to monetize it. These changes include a reply system, chat system, public tag and content-tracking, and more.
  * **Good at** : sharing and viewing visual media, signal boosting information.
  * **Bad at** : privacy control of your own content, public back and forth conversation, mass chat, subject-focused accounts, fanspeak/community-specific jargon, quick-moving meme humor.
  * **Available on** : primarily Web (browser), with official apps for mobile, very limited third party mobile apps.
  * **Some relevant terms and grammar** : your Tumblr is basically a blog, but (uniquely) one you don’t need to actually write, draw, or otherwise upload or create content for. You can instead reblog (re-blog) a post you see on any public Tumblr (whether you follow it or not) which reproduces the reblogged post on your own Tumblr. Posts on Tumblr get notes when they are liked or reblogged; some super popular posts are in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of notes, but the vast majority get fewer than a dozen. Feel free to follow people who post or reblog interesting things; that’s how you populate your dashboard (dash) with content. Your dash is similar to a Twitter timeline or Facebook feed. If you’re an organized sort, tag posts as you blog or reblog them to find or let others find the content more easily; tags and hashtags are functionally the same thing, but uniquely, Tumblr tags can have spaces (#this is a tag, versus #thisisatag on Twitter or Instagram). On brand new posts, not reblogs, the first five tags are public and work like a Twitter hashtag, so choose wisely. See further reading for more info on optimizing or minimizing visibility with Tumblr tags.
  * Private messaging is possible in the Tumblr instant messaging chat system and also via private asks (one-way asks that are answered privately).
  * **To get you started** : [finalproblem](http://finalproblem.tumblr.com/), [granadabrettishholmes](http://granadabrettishholmes.tumblr.com/), [anotherwellkeptsecret](http://anotherwellkeptsecret.tumblr.com), [bakerstreetbabes](http://bakerstreetbabes.tumblr.com), [sherlockundercover](http://sherlockundercover.tumblr.com).



###  [Livejournal](http://livejournal.com)/[Dreamwidth](https://www.dreamwidth.org/)

  * Started as a journal hosting site and is still largely is, with _highly_ granular control over audience for each individual post. Dreamwidth uses the same base software, which is [open source](https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-source).
  * **Good at** : granular control of audienceship, blogging posts of varying lengths, hiding portions of posts behind an expandable area, threaded comments.
  * **Bad at** : making your content visible to the public who don’t already know you, up to the minute news.
    * Note: LJ is owned by Russians and has made changes to its Terms of Service (TOS) as recently as April 2017, which have made it very unfriendly and potentially illegal to host certain materials (in particular, LGBT content). It’s caused yet another [mass exodus](https://www.themarysue.com/livejournal-russian-federation-tos/) of many accounts and communities from LJ to DW.
  * **Available on** : mostly Web (browser), but also some third party apps for mobile and desktop.
  * **Special note** : accounts can be individual or community (comms). Community posts are exactly that: members of the community can post there. Posting rights and the ability to join/view/modify settings will vary.
  * **Some relevant terms and grammar** : given the journal background from its inception in the ‘90s, in LJ/DW terminology, you add people as friends, also known as friending them, much as you would on Facebook. Posts can be completely public, locked to only friends (f-locked) or to certain lists you can curate, or posts can be totally private, meaning for your eyes only. Because it's so easy to put content behind a cut, or behind an area that viewers must click on to expand, it's an ideal platform to put large amounts of text/images.
  * Private messaging is possible on LJ and DW, but it works like email, with an Inbox on the website, not live chat.
  * **To get you started** : [holmesian-news](http://holmesian-news.livejournal.com/), [221b-baker-str](http://221b-baker-str.livejournal.com), [221bsherlock](http://221bsherlock.livejournal.com), [reading221b](http://reading221b.livejournal.com), [sherlockbbc](http://sherlockbbc.livejournal.com).



###  [Reddit ](https://www.reddit.com/)

  * A user-generated and community-moderated news and entertainment website. Content can be linked to (like websites, articles, news items) or put directly onto the site like a forum post. Because of the community downvote/upvote system (essentially: thumbs up/thumbs down), in theory all of the good/relevant/insightful posts will rise to the top, and bad ones will be buried down below. Reddit is almost an all-purpose news aggregator, so there are “subreddits” for specific areas of interests, most of which were originally user-created and then community-modded.
  * **Good at** : AMAs (Ask Me Anythings, or Q&A sessions with people of interest), news and fresh content as long as the subreddit’s userbase is active enough.
  * **Bad at** : highly specialized jargon and acronyms, inside jokes, quick-moving meme humor.
  * **Some relevant terms and grammar** : a reddit user is a redditor. The community upvotes or downvotes both comments and posts. The site is organized into areas of interest called subreddits. There is a subreddit for most anything, from marijuana to breastfeeding to zit popping to weight loss support. People take great pride in having a lot of karma, or points, which is the cumulative net upvotes you get for either links shared or comments made. Someone may gift you reddit gold if they especially like something you did or said, but it doesn’t do that much besides donate money directly to Reddit and provide the gifted redditor with prestige.
  * Private messaging is possible but it works like email, in that there’s an Inbox on the website.
  * **To get you started** : [r/sherlock](http://reddit.com/r/sherlock), [r/holmes](http://reddit.com/r/holmes), [r/thescienceofdeduction](https://www.reddit.com/r/thescienceofdeduction), [r/imaginarybakerst](https://www.reddit.com/r/ImaginaryBakerSt), [r/thegameison](http://reddit.com/r/thegameison).



###  [ Facebook ](http://facebook.com)

  * Originally built around college students to network with each other, Facebook is now perhaps the most ubiquitous and common social media platform in the world with both young and old.
  * Note that Facebook as a company and a brand is more invested than any other platform discussed here so far in being tied to your real life identity and name. This means, for instance, that the site will ask for your first and last name and will not let you abbreviate your surname to the initial M, as an example, along with [other restrictions](https://www.facebook.com/help/112146705538576?helpref=topq). You are also [limited](https://www.facebook.com/help/community/question/?id=703264333065656) to the number of times you can change your name in a given period, because Facebook wants your identity to be stable, and ideally tied to your public/legal identity, not a pseudonym. Having said that, it doesn’t _actually_ check your legal name in any way, so you can still be Margaret McNoname.
  * **Available on** : Web and well-supported mobile apps
  * **Good at** : connecting you with people across multiple social groups, including long lost friends and family; granular privacy control for post visibility, but only if you are proactive
  * **Bad at** : letting you see your feed without Facebook’s filtering algorithm
  * **Some relevant terms and grammar** : you join Facebook as an individual and send friend requests to people you know; when they accept, you become friends. On your individual page, you can fill out your profile, including your likes and personal data, and you also have a Facebook wall, on which people can write public messages to you, like a guestbook of old. Posts on your wall (indeed, all posts) have a comment area that people can comment in. Threading in those comments are limited generally to two levels deep (post > comment > reply to that comment), but you can specifically tag people in your comments to try to ensure that they will see your reply. You get notifications when people tag you, reply to you, post on your wall, etc. You and some friends may wish to start a Facebook group, which can be closed (invite-only), open to join, or subject to moderation if you wish others to request access. Groups can even be secret, meaning no one but members will know about it or be able to see your membership. Groups have something like a shared wall that people will post to.
  * Visibility control and privacy control is technically very granular if you work at creating lists or specifically blacklisting individuals, but because Facebook Terms of Service and website navigation change somewhat regularly, users aren’t always aware of what’s changed or how to change things. Apart from individuals and groups, there are also Facebook pages, which can be managed/owned or not. Pages are for brands, businesses, organizations, and public figures. They can share posts and have walls in their own right, as if they were individuals, but instead of friending them (and needing to be accepted), you like or follow them. Note that comment moderation and discussion etiquette will vary vastly from community to community (page to page) even within the Facebook platform, and given how little control you have over people who can see your comments or respond to them, commenting in “public” may embroil you in a conversation you were necessarily not expecting with people you may not know.
  * Private messaging is possible between two or more users in the Facebook Messenger feature, which works like both live chat and email.
  * **To get you started** : [Sherlock Fans Over Thirty](https://www.facebook.com/sherlockoverthirty/) (page), [221B Con](https://www.facebook.com/221bcon/) (page), [Baker Street Babes](http://facebookk.com/thebakerstreetbabes) (page), [I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere](http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock) (page), [SoCal Sherlockians](https://www.facebook.com/groups/socalsherlockians/) (group)



 

 **Other fan communities not discussed here in-depth** : [ao3](http://archiveofourown.org) , [DeviantArt](http://www.deviantart.com/), [IRC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat) / [Slack](https://slack.com/) / [ Discord](https://discordapp.com/) channels and chat rooms, [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/), forums, blogging services/software (Wordpress, Blogspot, etc), anywhere where fans might congregate and talk in the comments section (news sites, YouTube, etc).

* * *

## For the less social, more passive, or just shy

If you truly don’t care about having an online presence yourself (an account from which you share things and comment), or you just don’t want to make your presence known, then you can always lurk. It is a time-honored internet tradition to read but not make any contributions oneself. You needn’t jump into social media with both feet and change your whole life around just to find and talk to fellow Sherlockians online. (Trust me, being on social media as much as some of us really does change your life’s whole rhythm.)

Lurking in this sense can mean one of a few things:

  1. Make an account on whatever platform you choose and follow/add/friend who you like, but not be active about retweeting, reblogging, liking/faving, commenting, etc.
    1. This is basically using the account to read things you’ve aggregated into the dashboard/feed/timeline that you’ve created.
  2. Don’t bother making an account (or being logged in). Just visit websites and individual accounts that you find interesting.
    1. You might visit an individual Twitter account or Tumblr to catch up on news or pictures or commentary. This is a very decentralized way of doing things and may require going to multiple websites instead of one streamlined dash/timeline/feed.
    2. You might add certain feeds into an [RSS](http://www.whatisrss.com/) reader to view everything aggregated in one place. You wouldn’t be able to comment or interact with them as if you were in the platform properly, but you could digest everything in one spot this way. However, formatting is potentially an issue here.



  
**_It’s fine to lurk_**. Lots of people do it, sometimes, at first, or all the time, or just depending on the platform. But there are certainly conversations to be had out there at most any time of the day. Most of this guide is about finding those conversations and mingling. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder here in case anyone is viewing this ao3 document in "chapter by chapter" view instead of "entire work" and is unfamiliar with ao3 navigation: click the **Next Chapter - >** button below this to continue on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Table of Contents**  
> [Chapter 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309816): Online fandom || Navigating social media platforms > Twitter | Tumblr | Livejournal/Dreamwidth | Reddit | Facebook || For the less social, more passive, or just less shy  
> [Chapter 2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309966): How do I find people to follow/friend/add? Who can I interact with? || Avoiding conflict: Dos and Don'ts > A note about fanspeak  
> [Chapter 3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309972): Etiquette of sharing and resharing content, especially art || Reposting: do not do it > What's good to share then? || Okay! That all sounds great. But now I want to jump in with both feet. How do I... > (How do I) Find fanfic to read | (How do I) Find fanart | (How do I) Write fanfic > Posting | Prompts, the kink meme, and challenges || A word on giving feedback || Pseuds: Do I need one?  
> [Chapter 4](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309972): Further reading | Other resources and tips

# How do I find people to follow/friend/add? Who can I interact with?

Generally speaking, social media works just as building any other social network does, online or off. You start small, a familiar face at a party perhaps, and work your way to friends of friends. You collect cards and contact information of people you find interesting and add them. You invite friends of yours to join you so you have someone to talk to and explore with. Pretty soon, you find new people entirely. If you’re coming from online-only connections, it’s still pretty much the same, if a little slower. These things are hard to rush, so don’t push yourself too hard.

Once you get started, it gets a bit easier. Most social media networks have a helpful “you may know...” or “you may be interested in…” list of accounts for you to go through if you don’t feel like you know enough people (or the right kind of people). The quality of that algorithm will vary, but if you’re interested in finding more accounts and don’t know how else to start, that may lead you places. Also: many people participate in “follow forevers” or “follow Friday” wherein they promote some other accounts to follow. So if you find just a few people you trust or whose content you like, this is a ready-made way to find others with similar interests. 

Many people also start with “official” accounts of interest to them and work their way out from there. This may include TV show creators and writers, actors and producers, news sites, podcasts, scion societies, celebrity fan accounts, and more.

Interacting with people is a _slightly_ more difficult prospect, but that’s also the nature of mingling at a party, especially one that is 24/7 and not everyone is present at all times. People are usually on social media to begin with to be interacted _with_ . **But getting responses (and positive ones) may depend on several factors: the platform, how well you know each other, your tone (intended or not), whether your interaction is public to others or private, if you are offering a compliment, comment, correction, or something else.** There’s obviously no hard and fast rule about these things, but these are just some factors to consider if you’re experiencing disappointment, impatience, confusion, or if the person you’re interacting with comes back with a response you were not expecting (or wanting).

* * *

 

# Avoiding conflict: Dos and Don’ts

This part of the guide is going to sound like a battle plan, and that’s honestly no mistake. There is plenty to draw people _to_ online fandom, and far fewer things that burn people out from it. This part of the guide is meant to prepare you as much as possible for the latter. 

It’s quite easy to feel excluded, ganged up on, misunderstood, and wrong-footed online. Conflict and misunderstanding are unavoidable at the best of times, but it can be minimized. We do what we can when the exchanges are textual and often with people we don’t know well (or at all). Please note that none of this is specific to older people or any particular fandom or book people vs. media people, and it has nothing to do with how much knowledge or experience either party has. **The issues people run into are due to culture clash, and it’s as simple and complicated as exactly that**. It’s just that online, on social media, where it’s very very often public, quick, easy, and seemingly anonymous, the issues are exacerbated.

That, and jerks. Jerks ruin everything. 

Keep in mind that this is is a truism with _all_ online interaction, not just fannish ones. The following quick dos and don’ts are just a bit tailored to delving into online fandom _through_ social media.

 

###  DO 

  * Familiarize yourself with the [three laws of fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Three_Laws_of_Fandom). No need to memorize and recite; there is no test. Just internalize these tenets and remember them when things go awry or emotions start running high.
    * Don’t like, don’t read (DL;DR)
    * Your kink is not my kink (YKINMK)
    * Ship and let ship (SALS)
  * Proactively look up terms if you’re confused by something.
    * [Google](https://wiredimpact.com/blog/get-definition-google-define/), [fanlore.org](http://fanlore.org/), and [urbandictionary.com](http://www.urbandictionary.com/) can be your friend, but you can always ask people for clarification (or try). Just be polite and understanding.
  * Be open to the fact that your way is not the only way.
    * Be wary whenever you have the thought, “but everyone I know has always done it this way.” You’re typically (or potentially) meeting and speaking to all kinds of people who’ve “always” done it some _other_ way, and the entire fannish  community has grown up over literal decades around that fact.
  * Be frank if you’re confused by a reference or tone. Admit mistakes.
    * Admitting vulnerability online is humanizing. Which sounds clinical to state in that way, but this is important to keep in mind when what people have to deal with is purely text. This is often why emojis and reaction gifs are so useful; they do the talking for us, or set a tone. The same goes for informal (incorrect) grammar.
    * Ask if you’ve said something to offend and offer to apologize if you mean it (and sometimes even if you don’t). If you need a few hours or a few days to think about something or digest new information or to just cool off, maybe just say that.
  * Understand if someone you asked a question of does not have the time or energy to educate you on something.
    * This can be a huge undertaking and is often onerous and potentially misleading when done incompletely. (See: this guide.) Sometimes the way you learn about something is piecemeal, over several days, with multiple people, from multiple conversations and articles and sources. Sometimes you just have to try again later. Be patient.
  * Stop and catch yourself when someone actually asks or tells you to stop doing something.
    * “Doing something” in this sense is often: bringing up certain subjects, assuming facts, using a certain term. It doesn’t mean you are necessarily _wrong_ , although you might be, but stop and try not to jump to the conclusion that you are definitely [in the right](http://www.xkcd.com/386/). _Even if you are_ , that can be a deep dark hole to jump into. (The Internet is endless and needs less sleep than you do.)
    * It is an exercise in empathy and self-education and possibly a crash course in social justice culture, but you may learn that certain terms are considered offensive to some, people are, yes, “triggered” by scenarios and things you never considered before, and people are dealing with situations in their real lives that may be impacting calm communication, whether that be a bad home life, mental illness, or individual phobias and sensitive spots. Know that going in and be prepared to learn, accommodate, or walk away.
  * Use people’s stated/preferred pronouns and name.
    * This information is often provided in the header, profile, or “about me” section profile. Don’t question it.
  * Stay positive.
    * You can grow to understand something you didn’t before, or you can learn enough about it to walk away. Either way, whatever state of ignorance or awkwardness or conflict you may find yourself in is not a permanent one.



 

### DO NOT 

  * Reply to anything while angry. Easier said than done (always), but try.
    * Literally step away from the computer, phone, or device. Take a walk. Sleep. Go.
  * Value knowledge over empathy.
    * _Even when you believe you are 100% correct_.
  * Assume something you don't personally value is without value for others.
    * This applies to: art, ships, favorite/valued characters, fanfic, alternate universes, celebrity fandoms, kinks.
  * Offer unsolicited critique.
    * Especially when it comes to art and writing. Just because something is publicly available or viewable does not mean that there is carte blanche to offer even constructive criticism (or “concrit” as it’s known). Some fandoms _do_ in fact have a culture of concrit, but for Sherlock fandom and just to be a decent person, it’s best to assume concrit is an opt- _in_ system.



 

On the most public of platforms, definitely do _not_ assume that your potential conversation partner or any bystanders are just like you in terms of gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, race, and general life experiences. Many marginalized groups treat their online fannish space as a safe space, or at least an escapist haven, so you may run into far more of these groups than you would at an in-person meetup: women, younger people, LGBT+ individuals, and more. Also note that a conversation on social media can often _feel_ like it’s between you and one other person, but consider that others often wind up seeing it, especially on Twitter and Tumblr. And in those cases, those conversations are much more like having a conversation in an elevator than anything else. If you need to speak privately, take it to a more private messaging channel.

* * *

## A note about fanspeak

Depending on what part of the internet you wander to, you may wind up seeing something I’m going to broadly refer to as fanspeak, popular and much popularized on Tumblr. The reason I want to draw attention to it is because for the uninitiated, it can be confusing, misleading, and/or alienating. Note that you don’t have to _participate_ in it or use it, but it can be helpful to recognize it, or at least know that it exists. 

First off, just so you know, fanspeak (speaking “fangirl” is a common term, also Tumblrspeak; there are many terms and many twinge toward derogatory) goes beyond vocabulary and acronyms. It encompasses grammar and syntax as well. If you spend enough time around it, you can get a handle on its internal rules but on first blush, it is definitely something else, so it’s worth talking about so you can minimize misunderstandings. 

On one level, fanspeak is often straightforward and rather self-explanatory. The keyboard smash is pretty common: _askjdlajkdlasajk!!_ The person is so excited (or upset?) that smashing fingers against the keyboard is the only appropriate way to express it. Look to context about what the feeling might be. 

Fanspeak and Tumblr language are highly performative. It is, after all, mostly about deeply felt emotions (in one direction or another) and is therefore often grammatically a bit radical. Expect all-lower case run-on sentences, switching mid-word or mid-sentence to all caps (which connotes yelling), and more. The sentences/thoughts themselves can go unfinished entirely because of anticipation, speechlessness, and general high emotion. But there’s a clear story being told to people as well, if you come to see it enough:

  * are yoU KIDDING ME WHAT TEHKASLDASKDLAL??
  * im so...!!!!
  * I cannot
  * CAN U NOT
  * HAHAHAHA NO 



There’s no doubt a linguistics master’s to be made out of all these things, but that’s just a taste. At least it’s a fun one though. 

The other level of fanspeak is a lot more difficult to explain, and that’s because the words are basically the same as everyday speech, but it is heavily sarcastic or ironic, often with a _very_ mean tone/undertone, whether to oneself or others. Considering the lack of voice or facial cues, this is _really_ difficult to parse sometimes. Some examples with possible translations:

    * I am dead. | _I’m overwhelmed._
    * I am so fucking done. | _I can’t get enough of this._
    * Come and join me in this trash can. | _It’s okay you feel that way, I do too._
    * I am a human dumpster. | _I’m owning up to the fact that I feel incredibly strongly about this person/ship/idea, but I almost kind of hate that I feel this way._
    * [about favorite celebrity] fuck you, goddamn liferuiner, I hate your face. | _Lord have mercy, I find you incredibly attractive and amazing._
    * Nope. Nope nope nope nope. | _This affected me so deeply, I can barely deal with it. Please continue._
    * Can you l i t e r a l l y not? | __Keep doing what you’re doing.__



This kind of language can be polarizing, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself feeling a certain way about it. I just wanted to give you a quick primer in case you see it, because it may not mean what you think or be intended to be taken literally. Certainly don’t feel obliged to jump in and _use_ the lingo and tone if you’re uncomfortable; it does come across as a little strange or disingenuous if you’re otherwise a straitlaced sort. It does tend to give an impression of excitability and casualness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Table of Contents**  
> [Chapter 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309816): Online fandom || Navigating social media platforms > Twitter | Tumblr | Livejournal/Dreamwidth | Reddit | Facebook || For the less social, more passive, or just less shy  
> [Chapter 2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309966): How do I find people to follow/friend/add? Who can I interact with? || Avoiding conflict: Dos and Don'ts > A note about fanspeak  
> [Chapter 3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309972): Etiquette of sharing and resharing content, especially art || Reposting: do not do it > What's good to share then? || Okay! That all sounds great. But now I want to jump in with both feet. How do I... > (How do I) Find fanfic to read | (How do I) Find fanart | (How do I) Write fanfic > Posting | Prompts, the kink meme, and challenges || A word on giving feedback || Pseuds: Do I need one?  
> [Chapter 4](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309972): Further reading | Other resources and tips

# Etiquette of sharing and resharing content, especially art

Social media is essentially made for that whole feeling of "oh! I would love to share this." And content creators generally love for their art, writing, and hard work to be shared with others. But the etiquette of doing this is not something that necessarily comes naturally to people. Hence this section.

## Reposting: do not do it

This is sometimes difficult for people to wrap their heads around for a variety of reasons -- but reposting is essentially cutting off something original (like artwork) from the creator. This usually involves downloading the work from the creator (off of Tumblr, for instance) and then uploading it again (often to the very same platform). 

When reposting is done innocently, it circulates the work in a way that isn't tied to the creator anymore. Every view, click, and share of the reposted work is divorced from the original creator, who may well make their living off this kind of art. This is not like selling bootleg prints of the Mona Lisa, which is famous and whose creator isn't in doubt. This is more like ripping the cover and title page off of a small press book and sending it to a friend as a recommendation. "How do I find more of this?" your friend might ask. "I don't know," you say. "I threw out the identifying bits for some reason." It sounds stupid, because it is. But people do it and they do it a _lot_.

When reposting is done maliciously, it is plagiarism and theft. Passing off someone else's work as your own is never okay.

Reposting with credit, plus a link to the artist is a lesser evil. Some creators don't mind this kind of sourcing, and others do because it's still out of their control; responses to the reposted art may happen completely without the original creator’s knowledge. Imagine that the artist's original post racked up only 100 notes but a repost of that art got 200k notes. This does happen. Someone going through the artist's portfolio would have a very skewed perspective about how popular that bit of art was, and there’s no way to consolidate those numbers. 

It is a slightly greyer area when you change up platforms: take someone's artwork that was posted only on one platform (DeviantArt, for example) and then posting it elsewhere (e.g. Tumblr). Again, some people care about this and some don't. Make an effort to find out and if you do find out, definitely do NOT go against the artist's wishes. 

Sharing someone else’s work and saying “credit to original owner” _is not okay._ A watermark or signature does not absolve you. 

_Reblogging and retweeting the source is always preferable._

* * *

## What’s good to share then?

Good question! Not to worry. The trickiest bit is the one about art, but you should be good if you just remember not to remove credit in such a way that it divorces the content from the creator. Remember the book jacket and title page metaphor. Downloading and then re-uploading is your biggest clue here. 

Most everything else is fair game:

  * News articles and other static websites
  * Video (YouTube, Vimeo, Vine, etc)
  * Cross-platform posting (on Twitter: “look at this Tumblr thread!” Or on Tumblr: “look at Mark Gatiss’ tweet!”)
  * Your own photos, art, and thoughts



* * *

# Okay! That all sounds great. But now I want to jump in with both feet. How do I...

My take on what going in whole-hog into fandom means is really just _accepting_ and reveling in the fact that it’s a hugely diverse, enormous party. Call yourself a fan and, like Dorothy, you’re there. There really isn’t much of a bar beyond that; no exam, no quizzes. You gain familiarity with the jargon and the community vibe through osmosis for the most part and there is no shame in that. And there’s constantly more fic and art and meta and gifsets being made, so it’s certainly difficult to be completionist about it. But if you really want to fully commit to all the creativity, energy, and conversation happening out there in the fandom, here’s a guide. [Welcome](http://thescienceofjohnlock.tumblr.com/post/68359583015/otherbully1-wildebrams-crisstianmingle).

## (How do I) Find fanfic to read

> _But the funny thing about that is we (as readers/viewers) sometimes miss out on information that might have been interesting. The author didn’t think it was, but fans? Most fans will soak up content like a sponge (see: LotR extended editions, cutscenes, etc). And so we’re likely to ask ridiculous questions like “What is laundry day like at Avengers Tower?” - not because it’s important to the narrative, but because we’re curious._
> 
> _Not to mention: every narrator is an unreliable narrator. Especially the ones who seem the most straightforward. Which means there are a wealth of stories not being told hiding right behind the story that is._
> 
> _Which, I think, gives an inkling of the primary difference between original fic and fanfic: original fic is declarative, saying “here is the story, these are the important events and characters and aspects of the world,” while fanfic is exploratory (even when it’s got a cracking good plot)._

-[saathi1013 ](http://cypress-tree.tumblr.com/post/61106921490/but-the-funny-thing-about-that-is-we-as)

 

If you’ve literally never read fanfic before, this is going to be...interesting. There is an awful lot out there, stories of all types, and quite a lot of them involve some level of romance and/or sex. Where a film or a book might “fade to black,” a fanfic [might not](http://avawatson.tumblr.com/post/59367979980/joleredon-myghela-the-book-the-movie). The entire fic might actually exist in that moment that the camera would normally turn away, in fact. Which isn’t to say that that there aren’t teen (T) and general audience (G or gen) rated fics out there, or stories without explicit romance/sexual content at all, but you should at least be prepared to see romance and sex written about far more in fic than in mainstream media. Plus, all kinds of underrepresented orientations and configurations: gay, sure, but also pansexual, polyamorous, asexual, you name it. There will be kinks you may have heard of (bondage maybe) and many you haven’t (see me after the talk, you). The internet, bless it, is practically endless, and there is more talent and hard work poured into _free_ vehicles for us to enjoy than makes any sense. 

So with the understanding that it’s a big vast world out there, if you’re still ready to jump in to see what lies ahead...it’s probably anticlimactic to say you should start by asking a friend. But you should. 

Asking how to find fic is almost exactly like walking into a Barnes and Noble or the library of Alexandria and asking how to find _a_ book. Well, there are tons of books, so how would you like to narrow that down? Word count maybe, because you can only read things on your lunch break? By ship? By genre? Have you considered Sherlock Holmes in a magical realism story, in the style of Gabriel García Márquez? How about a sports movie fusion, like _Wimbledon_? Who’s your favorite character? Whose point of view (POV) do you most enjoy? Does first person present tense weird you out? Does second person? How married are you to the idea that everyone in the story needs to be human? 

The first place to go for fic recs (fanfiction recommendations) is most likely friends because people who know you are better able to filter out what will turn you off. Plus, hopefully you can have a little bit of a conversation with them about recs and that way, they can say to you, “Here are my favorite five fics of all time, but the first is over 200 thousand words, the second is set in an American college and Sherlock is a huge stoner, the third features John dying but it’s okay because they meet in the afterlife, the fourth is heavy on violence and psychological torture, and the fifth is a retelling of the Nightmare Before Christmas.” Filter as necessary and find your trusted fic recommenders.

If you happen to not have any trusted friends (yet), there are a few other options you can try.

  * Look for communities and people who do fic recs/reviews. Accounts like [swissmissficrecs](http://swissmissficrecs.tumblr.com/) and [sherlockbbcficrecs](http://sherlockbbcficrecs.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr or [bbcsherlock](http://bbcsherlock.livejournal.com/) on livejournal pretty much exist to provide fic recs.
  * Many individuals keep fic recs as a page or a tag on their blog and you can go digging on their pages for them. Some examples: [destinationtoast](http://destinationtoast.tumblr.com/recs), [avawatson](http://avawatson.tumblr.com/ficrecs) (that’s me).
  * Find a fic author you like and see if they keep bookmarks on ao3 that are open to the public. Just some examples: [mazarin221b](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Mazarin221b/bookmarks), [splix](http://archiveofourown.org/users/splix/pseuds/splix/bookmarks), [kinklock](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kinklock/bookmarks), [mizjoely](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizJoely/bookmarks).
  * If you find yourself in love with something of a slightly rarer vintage (like a rare pair or a very specific kink), you might just go into that tag on Tumblr or ao3 and click around. It might take you some research -- like the ship name [morkins](http://tumblr.com/tagged/morkins) (Janine Hawkins/Mary Morstan) would probably not come to you out of the blue. You could go through a popular tag too, of course, like [Friends to Lovers](http://archiveofourown.org/tags/Friends%20to%20Lovers/works), but there would be loads more to sift through. But you can sort by kudos (a very basic thumbs up) and see what the most popular items are in that tag. Lots of guides exist to handhold you through all this tag searching, but [here’s a great one to start with](http://sens8lito.tumblr.com/post/58104981962/i-did-a-thing-i-saw-too-many-people-upset-about).



 

Barring all that, if you want to just visit the major places where fic is posted to simply browse or search on your own, here are the major places to start.

  * [Archiveofourown.org](https://archiveofourown.org/) (ao3)
  * [Fanfiction.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/) (ff)
  * [Wattpad](https://www.wattpad.com/)
  * [Livejournal](http://livejournal.com)
  * [Dreamwidth](https://www.dreamwidth.org/)



 

Not discussed here: kink meme communities. More about kink memes is in the posting fanfic section.

* * *

## (How do I) Find fanart

There are few different places to find fanart, and it varies across languages and cultures and fandom what the preferred ones are. Japanese artists have an equivalent to DeviantArt at [pixiv.net](http://www.pixiv.net/), for instance, and there is a ton of beautiful art there. But it’s obviously in Japanese, so somewhat limited in audience. There is a decent community of East Asian artists who share their work on Twitter, but again, it’s a little harder for Anglophones to follow or even find Korean, Chinese, and Japanese artists. For the rest of us, at least for the most part we have two primary sources for where artists post their work:

  * [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/)
    * Some artists to start with: [ghostbees](http://ghostbees.tumblr.com/), [ireallyshouldbedrawing](http://ireallyshouldbedrawing.tumblr.com/), [anotherwellkeptsecret](http://anotherwellkeptsecret.tumblr.com), [hotja](http://hotja.tumblr.com/), [amiepsychique](http://amiepsychique.tumblr.com/)


  * [DeviantArt](http://www.deviantart.com/)
    * Some artists to start with: [AuroraWienhold](http://aurorawienhold.deviantart.com/), [AliceXZ](http://alicexz.deviantart.com/), [mlcamaro](http://mlcamaro.deviantart.com/) 



It’s maybe worth noting that artists tend to straddle multiple social media platforms, sometimes for different reasons. They might post work in progress (WIP) shots to [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/) or Twitter, for instance, and post finished works to Tumblr and DeviantArt. 

If you really love fanart, there are a few more things you can do for fanartists to support them and this fandom that they’re in.

  * Commissions
    * Many artists accept commissions for new works. Or rather, they will typically have a few slots open for commission work. They have their own pricing plans and level of sketching or art, media that they work in, rules, and the like. This information is typically on their Tumblr and DeviantArt sites.
  * [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/)
    * Similarly with commission work, Patreon is a modern way of patronizing (in the Michaelangelo sense) an artist to keep them afloat and keep doing art. Patrons generally get some sort of perks for monthly contributions, say in the $1-10 range, but each artist sets up the reward system individually.
  * [Redbubble](http://www.redbubble.com/)/[Society6](https://society6.com/)/[Etsy](https://www.etsy.com/)/[Storenvy](http://www.storenvy.com/)
    * Many artists license their artwork out to storefront websites like Redbubble and Society6 so that you can buy their art on merchandise like T-shirts, mugs, cell phone cases, pillows, etc. Etsy and Storenvy are both storefront websites that facilitate payment, but the merchandise is whatever the artist chooses (often handmade), instead of pre-set items.



* * *

## (How do I) Write fanfic

Well, the beauty of writing fanfic is that there aren’t really any rules. If all you want to do is _write fanfic_ , you can certainly do it. You can write privately, or share it amongst friends at first if you don’t want to release into the wilds of the world wide web. Certainly many people started that way long before the Internet came into being, and there’s no shame in that if you simply want to keep it private or amongst people you know personally. And there’s also writing you definitely do _not_ want all your friends to [know about](http://anarfea.tumblr.com/post/140851146759/i-blame-this-on-sherlock-falcon-fox-and-coyote) too. 

Incidentally, while you’re in the process of writing or after you’ve written something, if you want feedback on it, there are people in the Sherlock fandom who will beta read your fic. The Sherlock fandom is actually fairly uniquely rich in betas and beta culture. There are a fair number of people who _only_ beta and do not write themselves, and not a lot of fandoms can boast that kind of speciality. 

A beta reader is a lot like a beta tester in software development, in that this a pre-reader, someone who critiques your writing with the aim of making it better -- or working on whatever goals you set, anyway. One very specific sort of beta is a Britpicker, considering that there are so many non-English writers in the Sherlock fandom. There are also SPAG (spelling and grammar) betas, and any combination of things if your beta is willing and able. 

From [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_reader):

> A non-professional reader who reads a written work, generally fiction, with the intent of looking over the material to find and improve elements such as grammar and spelling, as well as suggestions to improve the story, its characters, or its setting. Beta reading is typically done before the story is released for public consumption. Beta readers are not explicitly proofreaders or editors, but can serve in that context.

Elements highlighted by beta readers encompass things such as plot holes, problems with continuity, characterisation or believability; in fiction and non-fiction, the beta might also assist the author with fact-checking. 

For even more background (per usual with fannish things), read the [Fanlore article on betas. ](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Beta) 

Looking for a beta reader is a bit of a process. Like with dating, there’s no one way to go about finding someone. You can always ask a friend, multiple friends (there is no harm in asking more than one), look for a stranger on a beta reader matchmaking site, ask for volunteers through social media -- and you can go through as many people as you need until you find someone or a group of people you work well with. And unlike dating (perhaps!), you can find different people for different uses: SPAG, Britpicking, overall story flow, [readability](http://weebleroxanne.tumblr.com/post/52307489360/nope-i-whisper-as-i-exit-out-of-a-fic-with-no) and clarity, etc. Some people shop around for whatever betas happen to be around and online at the time of asking, and some have longterm relationships with their betas. 

Some websites that may get you set up with beta readers:

  * [Fanfiction.net beta readers](https://www.fanfiction.net/betareaders/) ([how to](https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-get-a-beta-reader-at-fanfiction-net))
  * Multifandom Tumblr: [betafinder](http://betafinder.tumblr.com/)
  * Multifandom livejournal: [find-me-a-beta](http://find-me-a-beta.livejournal.com/)
  * Livejournal community [bbcsherlock](http://bbcsherlock.livejournal.com/) has [Tuesday beta](http://sherlockbbc.livejournal.com/tag/weekly%3A%20tuesday%20beta) 



### Posting

At one point, the Internet was the wild wild west and people had to maintain extensive personal bookmarks if they wanted to be able to return to a website they’d visited or a story they’d read. It was highly decentralized, which was why early search engines like Yahoo created directories for websites to be listed under, like the Yellow Pages. 

Nowadays, it’s a lot more centralized. The primary websites that people post stories on are as follows, all of which you need accounts to post in*:

  * [Archiveofourown.org](https://archiveofourown.org/)
  * [Fanfiction.net](https://www.fanfiction.net/)
  * [Livejournal.com](http://www.livejournal.com/) and [Dreamwidth.org](https://www.dreamwidth.org/)
  * [Wattpad.com](https://www.wattpad.com/) 



*There are some communities that you can post fic anonymously on. These include [kink meme ](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Kinkmeme) communities. Fills, or filled prompts, tend to be quick and dirty (read into that what you will). Some authors do de-anon (de-anonymize) themselves, or simply post with an account instead of posting anonymously to begin with. Kink meme fics are generally not easy to find again or to pass around precisely because they only appear in comments and not under an author’s list of works or on an archive website with tags and the like. 

Writers definitely can and do cross-post stories on multiple platforms in order to capture readership in as many communities as possible. By this, I mean that the entirety of the fic may be posted in multiple places: ao3, ffnet, Wattpad, and perhaps also a personal Livejournal. Additionally, _promotion_ of the story that includes only basic information (think book jacket info: title, author, tags, ships, rating) might be posted in appropriate places like Livejournal communities, Tumblr, and Twitter. 

One common practice is to put unbetaed/unfinished works on Tumblr or Livejournal and then put finished pieces on ao3 and ffnet. Stories that are _only_ posted to Tumblr or Livejournal tend to get more easily forgotten by the fic-reading community, because of the convenience of things being bookmarkable and searchable within one platform.

### Prompts, the kink meme, and challenges

If you have very little idea of what exactly to write, there are some built-in things in the fandom that will provide you writing ideas. 

Generally speaking, prompts are a jumping off idea to get a work (fic, ficlet, art) started. It may be a single word, or a phrase, maybe a song or a photo. They can be totally open ended, such as providing a prompt to the community at large, aimed at a specific audience who’ve maybe signed up for a daily prompt or something, or they can be very specific: one person providing a prompt to another in a Tumblr askbox, for instance. Some examples of this would be the following:

  * Tumblr account [fanficy-prompts](http://fanficy-prompts.tumblr.com/), for general fandom-general prompts
  * Tumblr account [johnlockadventcalendar](http://johnlockadventcalendar.tumblr.com/), for ship-specific Christmas-related prompts
  * Tumblr account [sherlockkinkmeme](https://sherlockkinkmeme.tumblr.com/), for a Tumblr port of the [original kink meme](https://sherlockbbc-fic.dreamwidth.org/) 



Certainly not all authors/artists accept prompts at all times, so if you yourself are accepting them, you must make it known that you’re accepting them or looking for them. 

Speaking very generally, prompts often have very quick fills, or responses. 

The kink meme (also sometimes written without the space) is nothing if not a whole lot of prompts, some of which are sexually kinky and some not so much. Some are short and some are plotty. But they are specifically given because the prompt giver wants to see this fic in the world. It’s a little different than a general prompt, which may be given as more of a writing exercise to a group of writers. (If this sounds like splitting hairs, it’s often indistinguishable, so don’t worry.) 

Very often, a kink meme prompter will give a fairly specific story, setting and ending:

> _It’s post-Reichenbach and John’s moved out of 221B because he can’t stand looking at Sherlock’s things everywhere. He moves to a rough neighborhood because it keeps him on his toes; he bandages up the local kids who get picked on sometimes. One day, he comes home from work and he finds his flat broken into. Sherlock’s in the sitting room, and he’s bleeding from the head. “Got enough bandages left over for me?” He asks. Hurt/comfort, angst, please, with a happy end. Rating up to you._

And the fill is basically the longform of that, plus whatever else seems appropriate. Other times, the prompt is quite short and _quite_ kinky, so...this is probably where you learn about kinks you hadn’t known about before. 

The nature of most challenges, also sometimes referred to as [bangs](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Big_Bang), is that they are _run_ , like an event. There is generally some level of administration, some very loose and some very strict, the rules of which should be listed somewhere so that you know exactly how to participate. They may go on for weeks or even months. Below are some examples of challenges that have happened in the past, many of which are expected to be run again:

  * [Come_at_once](http://come-at-once.livejournal.com/) livejournal community, a 24 hour porn challenge, with a lot of rules and administration
  * [Fall TV Season Sherlock](http://falltvseasonsherlock.tumblr.com/), a pre-2000 TV/film fusion challenge, with a little less organization than the above
  * [Pridelolly](http://pridelolly.tumblr.com/), a character-specific LGBT+ challenge fest with minimal organization and no sign-up
  * [Let’s Write Sherlock!](http://letswritesherlock.tumblr.com/), a monthly open-ended prompt challenge with no sign-up



 

Many challenges will maintain or provide collections on ao3 for participants to post to, for ease of browsing.

* * *

 

## A word on giving feedback

Many websites have a built-in commenting system, whether it’s a direct reply from commenter to original poster or quote RT or reblog+comment. Like most comment systems, it can be abused, and if you’re on the receiving end, you can most definitely feel abused by it. You’ll sometimes see statements like “comments are love” but of course some commenters neglect to absorb that. Don’t be that person. I repeat: _do not be that person_. 

### How not to be a jerk, inadvertently or not, when leaving a comment

  * [Most authors will agree](http://crazyassmurdererwall.tumblr.com/post/146320056099/things-fic-writers-like) that the best kind of comment reads like an enthusiastic book report: it’s obvious that they read the story, they pointed to specific things they enjoyed, and (for extra credit) they discussed themes and literary devices that were well used. If you superlatively loved a story, this is the kind of comment you should strive to leave. It makes the author’s day.
  * You **_do not_** need to insult other authors, genres, fandoms, or ships, in order to leave a compliment, so do not do this. Reword your comment, rewire your thought. And you might not know what else the person writes or is into. Backhanded compliments are both difficult to respond to and present a very mixed bag, emotionally, to the author. Don’t make it a habit to give this kind of compliment.
  * Don’t expect a reply. It was [more the culture on LJ](http://uniwolfwerecorn.tumblr.com/post/82075900249/ao3-etiquette) for the author to reply to every single comment, but that’s the nature of journal communities. It’s just not the case with ao3.
  * Reread your comment. Be careful with your tone, even if you think you are being cheekily impatient. [It doesn’t come across right a lot of the time](http://avawatson.tumblr.com/post/85256794759/why-does-no-one-update-their-fanfiction-im-about). _Reread your comment_.
  * Remember that concrit is an opt-in system. Often, in the notes or summary, the author may say whether the fic was betaed, written in a hurry, Britpicked, or something else along those lines, and many authors will welcome feedback about these things. Even in these situations, do not be a jerk when leaving comments.
  * On leaving unsolicited critique:
    * If a typo or mistake or something _easily fixable_ is really bothering you, try to do so privately if at all possible. Tumblr askbox or email or private chat. If you really can’t find any other way of contacting the author other than through commenting, then just be extra, extra polite. How corrections are perceived will vary by author.
    * If you have critique that is large scale or about characterization or anything that is not easily, quickly fixable, you should probably keep it to yourself. You could possibly strike up a conversation with the person about if they have a beta and if they’d like one, but this is difficult to do to say the least. You might be better off not going down that path at all.
    * In many cases, unsolicited critique will be perceived as varying values of rude or hurtful, no matter how well-placed your intentions may be. _If you must offer it_ , try to word it gently and keep in mind that the author is probably very proud of this work and would not take kindly to being told that something broad like characterization or plot is subpar or wrong.
  * Apart from that, for a fairly thorough how-to on leaving a comment on fic, [read this by skrtomg](http://skrtomg.tumblr.com/post/106840757739/how-to-comment-on-fic).



* * *

## Pseuds: Do I need one?

There are a lot of reasons to have a [pseud ](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Pseudonym) (pseudonym) or handle. People have adopted them in fandom for decades and for all kinds of reasons, including self-protection. It bears repeating that the historical reasons people have adopted pseuds have included _self_ -protection. And it is a common practice in the age of multiple social media accounts as well, so please don’t mistake someone going by a pseudonym to be trying to obfuscate from you -- all right, you as a member of the general public maybe; you as a member of an anonymous mass. But between [doxing ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing), identity theft, cyberbullying and everything else bad on the internet, this is a boundary that you should let people keep in place until such time as they are comfortable sharing more information with you. 

Beyond names, you’ll also occasionally see even more privacy rules and you might find them strict. Someone might have personal rules about whether or not pictures can be shared of them publicly, and someone else might allow it so long as you don’t identify them in the photo. This sort of prohibition might be told to you at the time the picture is taken, or it might be told to you later. There isn’t much you can do about it but respect their boundaries. Crop your photos if you need to, shoot them differently to start with if you know their rules. _Ask_ their rules whenever possible. It’s polite. 

If you really can’t imagine why someone would care this much about keeping their fandom identity separate from their real one, then consider the fact that to blend them may cost the person their job. The person may have a stalker. Or a group of bullies. In a world in which it only takes one person to ruin the experience of going online, take people’s words for it about how they want to be identified, or not, online. 

There are more fun and more professional reasons to have a pseud, of course. It lets you be about as escapist as you wish to be; you’re here for the fun/angst/murder/humor, you can go with it! If you’ve always hated your name, you can change it! _You_ get to choose it; it’s an expression, or it can be anyway, even if it’s only to yourself. You can reinvent yourself. You can _be_ fartnugget420. Or Carlotta Goldshire Meirinthawl. Whatever floats your boat and fits your aesthetic. 

As to whether or not you need a pseudonym, it’s of course up to you. Some amount of distrust of the playground that is the internet is _healthy_. Just because it’s a playground doesn’t make it so.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Table of Contents**  
> [Chapter 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309816): Online fandom || Navigating social media platforms > Twitter | Tumblr | Livejournal/Dreamwidth | Reddit | Facebook || For the less social, more passive, or just less shy  
> [Chapter 2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309966): How do I find people to follow/friend/add? Who can I interact with? || Avoiding conflict: Dos and Don'ts > A note about fanspeak  
> [Chapter 3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309972): Etiquette of sharing and resharing content, especially art || Reposting: do not do it > What's good to share then? || Okay! That all sounds great. But now I want to jump in with both feet. How do I... > (How do I) Find fanfic to read | (How do I) Find fanart | (How do I) Write fanfic > Posting | Prompts, the kink meme, and challenges || A word on giving feedback || Pseuds: Do I need one?  
> [Chapter 4](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10928835/chapters/24309972): Further reading | Other resources and tips

# Further reading

A largely random mish-mash of articles that may provide you with some historical and cultural perspective on online/modern fandom.

  * [Three Laws of Fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Three_Laws_of_Fandom) [fanlore.org]
  * [Fandom is not your safe space](http://fandomisnotyoursafespace.tumblr.com/post/122504756324/fandom-is-not-your-safe-space) [fandomisnotyoursafespace.tumblr.com]
  * [A brief history of fandom (pre-Tumblr)](http://likes-timelords.tumblr.com/post/91430711608/ofhouseadama-a-brief-history-of-fandom-for-the) [tumblr.com]
  * [Fan is a Tool-Using Animal](http://idlewords.com/talks/fan_is_a_tool_using_animal.htm) [idlewords.com]
  * [Common Reddit acronyms (but relevant to other sites)](https://www.reddit.com/r/help/comments/1a0mq2/im_new_to_reddit_tell_me_the_acronyms/) [reddit.com]
  * [Social Media Explained](http://howshescribbles.tumblr.com/post/115569156710/skadi-again-again-althor42) [tumblr.com]
  * [Tumblr Etiquette (a picture “book” for beginners)](http://mishasminions.tumblr.com/post/25165190110) [mishasminions.tumblr.com]
  * [What is Reposting?](http://anothermindpalace.tumblr.com/post/52001658653/hello-so-recently-i-found-the-need-to-make-a) [anothermindpalace.tumblr.com]
  * [The Tumblr to English Dictionary or How to Speak Fangirl](https://annavslife.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/the-tumblr-to-english-dictionary-or-how-to-speak-fangirl/) [annavslife.wordpress.com]
  * [How to Speak Fangirl](http://thoughtcatalog.com/kathleen-smith/2014/09/how-to-speak-fangirl/) [thoughtcatalog.com]
  * [Fansplaining podcast, Episode 15: ~fanspeak](https://soundcloud.com/fansplaining/episode-15) [soundcloud.com] and [transcript](http://fansplaining.tumblr.com/post/139364199948/transcript-fansplaining-episode-15-fanspeak) [fansplaining.tumblr.com]
  * [Linguistics of Ship Names](http://the-toast.net/2015/09/30/a-linguist-explains-the-grammar-of-shipping/) [the-toast.net]
  * [List of Sherlock ships](http://40yr-old-fangirl.tumblr.com/post/43013302922/list-of-sherlock-ships) [tumblr.com]
  * [Fandom Stats Masterlist](http://destinationtoast.tumblr.com/stats) [destinationtoast.tumblr.com]
  * [“Why do fangirls always make them gay?”](http://dsudis.tumblr.com/post/90989602609/why-do-fangirls-always-make-them-gay) [Tumblr.com]
  * [5 Myths about Fan Fiction and Fan Fiction Writers](http://www.spacial-anomaly.com/5-myths-about-fan-fiction-fan-fiction-writers/) [spacial-anomaly.com]
  * [Want to Engage with Fandom from the Outside?](http://ivyblossom.tumblr.com/post/111832116090/want-to-engage-with-fandom-from-the-outside) [ivyblossom.tumblr.com]
  * [How the Tech Sector Could Move in One Direction](http://www.sachajudd.com/one-direction) [sachajudd.com]
  * [Fic: Why Fanfiction is Taking Over the World](http://www.amazon.com/Fic-Fanfiction-Taking-Over-World/dp/1939529190), edited by Anne Jamison [amazon.com]
  * [Why it doesn’t matter what Benedict Cumberbatch thinks of Sherlock fan fiction](http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2014/10/why-it-doesn-t-matter-what-benedict-cumberbatch-thinks-sherlock-fan-fiction), by Elizabeth Minkel [newstatesman.com]
  * [Three Patch Podcast episode 30: Lustful Cock Monster](http://three-patch.com/2014/11/13/1496/) [three-patch.com]*
  * [TheoryofFicGate](http://fanlore.org/wiki/TheoryofFicGate) [fanlore.org]
  * [Pseudonym](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Pseudonym) [fanlore.org]
  * [Pseudonyms vs. identities](https://apostrophen.wordpress.com/2015/09/19/pseudonyms-vs-identities/) [apostrophen.wordpress.com]
  * [Three Patch Podcast episode: Fandom Life and Public Identity Roundtable, Extended Cut](http://three-patch.com/2016/04/13/episode-48a/) [three-patch.com]
  * [“Your fave is problematic”: why are we so bad at talking about diversity in pop culture?](http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/film/2015/09/your-fave-problematic-why-are-we-so-bad-talking-about-diversity-pop-culture), by Elizabeth Minkel [newstatesman.com]
  * [Why Social Justice Warrior, a Gamergate Insult, is Now a Dictionary Entry](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/10/07/why-social-justice-warrior-a-gamergate-insult-is-now-a-dictionary-entry/) [washingtonpost.com]
  * [The gender-fluid generation: young people on being male, female or non-binary](http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/23/gender-fluid-generation-young-people-male-female-trans) [theguardian.com]
  * [Essential Guide to Tumblr Etiquette](http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/guide-essential-tumblr-etiquette/) [hongkiat.com]
  * [Tumblr tips](http://loquaciousquark.tumblr.com/post/59042413872/shit-no-one-tells-you-when-you-start-to-tumble) [tumblr.com]
  * [List of Sherlock Holmes Communities and Forums](http://fanlore.org/wiki/List_of_Sherlock_Holmes_Communities_and_Forums) [fanlore.org]
  * [Archive of Our Own (ao3) FAQ](http://archiveofourown.org/faq?language_id=en) [archiveofourown.org]
  * [A Thorough Guide to AO3 Searches](http://penns-woods.tumblr.com/post/62224522997/foolproofpoem-i-did-a-thing-i-saw-too-many) [tumblr.com]
  * [AO3: The “Search Within Results” and You, Pt. 1](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/329) [archiveofourown.org]
  * [Better quality fics on ao3 based on kudos, hits, bookmarks, and comments](http://dulosis.tumblr.com/post/58975916082/in-your-ao3-experience-do-you-find-better-quality) [dulosis.tumblr.com]
  * [Downloading fanworks ao3 FAQ](http://archiveofourown.org/faq/downloading-fanworks?language_id=en) [archiveofourown.org]
  * [Leave reviews on ao3](https://avawatson.tumblr.com/post/160045579749/azriona-wantonlywindswept-ravenel-i-saw) [tumblr.com]
  * [Antidiogenes Club](http://antidiogenes.tumblr.com/) [antidiogenes.tumblr.com]
  * [Notes from a beta: How to get a beta](http://tzikeh.tumblr.com/post/18472436336/notes-from-a-beta-how-to-get-a-beta) [tzikeh.tumblr.com]
  * [An Open Letter About Fic Writers to Fic Readers](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2195070) [archiveofourown.org]
  * [A Practical Guide to Beta Reading](https://thewritersbloc.net/practical-guide-beta-reading) [thewritersbloc.net]



*In the interest of full disclosure, here’s another reminder that this guide was written by a member of Three Patch Podcast.

# Other resources and tips

  * Google tip: type “define: [search term]” for the most common definition


  * [Urbandictionary.com](http://www.urbandictionary.com/) (use with caution, many terms/definitions are nsfw)
  * [Fanlore.org](http://fanlore.org/)
  * [Knowyourmeme.com](http://knowyourmeme.com/)



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Version changelog: 5/19/17 +"Further reading" link


End file.
